How does saying things out loud help solve anything? How is it different than just thinking about your problems?
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Back in the old days, like 100 years ago, therapy started out exactly like what you said. A person would lie on a couch and talk to a therapist for an hour, while the therapist silently sat and took notes. That’s why cartoons still show therapy like that, sometimes.
Nowadays, though, science has found that therapy works better when the therapist takes a more active role. A therapist doesn’t just sit and listen anymore — they will actually push back against what you say, and challenge you to see things differently.
Therapists are trained to notice when your thinking is “distorted”, like you’re viewing the world through a funhouse mirror. We all have distorted thinking in some ways — but the problem is when our thoughts work against our mental health and make us feel overly sad, angry, discouraged or hurt. When your natural thought patterns aren’t serving you, it’s sort of like you’re trapped in an invisible box. The therapist can help you notice the walls of your box and break out of it.
Therapists are also trained to know what lifestyle choices generally make people’s mental health better, and they can serve as a guide to help you work out how you can change your daily routine to feel better.
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